March 2, 1901.]
certain that artillery will constitute a goodly part, and that never again will the Ministers be between the Devil and the deep sea, as they were last June and July. If the Chinese attack them they will now have it in their power to do inconceivable injury to the City and Palace; the mere knowledge that they can do so will of course be their greatest security. All the greater Legations are busy in extending their boundaries without reference to Chinese wishes on the subject. The British are including in | their new place the whole of the Imperial Car- riage Park and the grounds of the Han Lin Academy; it was from these coigns of vantage that the Chinese made their most resolute and effective attacks on our Legation. The new area is a good deal larger than the old, and will not only suffice for barracks and new Students' Quarters, but will also probably supply that long felt need of a public recreation ground. The Russians are taking in about twice their present area and their new boundary on the north will march with ours on the south. The French, Japanese and (probably) Spanish will push northwards, so as to take in large portions of the Customs Compound and that of the Su Wang Fuh; the idea is to squeeze out all Chinese holders from the ground between the Legations and make a solid block of nothing but Legation ground. The only question now is where the non-official civil foreign Peking is to go; there must always be a few foreign resi- dents, and such things as hotels, stores, &c. I think it likely that they will find a place in the area between the Chion Men and the American Legation. I may mention that Sir (laude Macdonald caused the words "Lest We Forget" to be painted in the angle of the wall where the Han Lin joins the Legation as a memorial
of their hottest corner.
LI HUNG-CHANG'S HEALTH. Little attention should be paid to the almost daily reports of Li Hung-chang's death. The old man is of course somewhat feeble, as one might expect from a man who in another fortnight will be an octogenarian; three weeks ago, moro. over, he had a very bad attack of influenza which prostrated him for six days and prevent ed him signing the preliminary agreement, but those about him deny that he was ever in extre- mis. The old man is living in a place near the Tsungli Yamen, which, by the bye, is now closed under German seal; it is not generally known that in the early days of the capture of the City the Yamen was for two entire days in the possession of the Russians, and subsequently for three in that of the Japanese. It is amus- ing, if not alarming, to think, of the chances this may have given to clear up doubtful points in policy of rivals.
THE PEKING TRAGEDY.
|
175
coolies have left here yet for the new destina- tion.
3
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
departures have been made, especially in the department of public works. A fine broad thoroughfare is being made by the river bank, SPORT IN FOOCHOW NEIGHBOURHOOD. and the useless old walls are being demolished A few sportsmen, belonging to the German to make wide streets, and to relieve the unspeak-man-of-war Seeadler at present in port, went able congestion of the traffic. Te West wall up river shooting a few days ago, and owing, is already well down and, curiously enough, I presume, to bad luck couldn't get a single the inhabitants don't seem to think it synony- bird, but not wishing to return empty-handed, mous with the end of all things. At present, they shot out of mere disgust-five tame ducks, German influence predominates in the councils, which they brought back with them. As the We also expect a forward policy in the great tale originates from a native source; I give it matter of river improvement, a subject of with all reserve for what it is worth. vital interest to the Chinese as well as to our- selves. The New Commissioner of Customs, Mr. G. Detring. is throwing himself into this question with his usual zeal, and we hope soon their New Year festivities with so much eclat to see a large and comprehensive cheme and deafening cracker-firing as is the case undertaken. If the foreign occupation of the
in your colony or Canton. Luckily there were City only lasts long enough it will leave its
no fires here, but a conflagration took place at mark in many departments in which the Chi-Chowchowfu, which caused very little damage, nese could never have been expected to move.
but a Chinaman in rushing to the fire to render Their vicions system of short appointments and assistance, got badly hurt in having a water of allowing officials to make their hay during bucket knocked against his head, which received the short sunshine quite precludes all urban improvement on a great scale.
RAILWAY AND COAL QUESTIONS.
The railway from Peking to Tong-ku is now under German administration, the only notable change so far is they have greatly increased the fares and have given nothing as an equivalent The rolling stock is now a piteous plight, the overworked locomotives having been out of the shops for months. Strange to say the British hold and maintain the last eight miles and the terminus at Peking. The Shanhaikwan line is still in the hands of the Russians, though it is on- pected that it too will soon be handed over to the British or the Germans. There is still a complete break at the Peitang River and bridge-build- ng is impossible till the spring. The Tong- shan coal-pits are in a bad way and no coal is being taken out. The workings are all flooded, and the most powerful pumps can only reduce the head of water about an inch perday. Fortue. nately the mine up at Lin Si isin good order; and when once the line is re-opened there will be no danger of a fuel famine though the decreased supply will of course keep up the present high prices. It is a great pity that a small riding cannot now be made up to the Western Hills, and the fine hard coal of Peking be brought to Tientsin. The former objections to this step were wholly those of obstructive officials: the line would be an extraordinary boon to the people of Peking and Tientsin, as it would in- definitely cheapen the cost of the coal at present borne by camels. Like all the new departures undertaken in this interragnum its continua tion could be ensured by the Treaty.
SWATOW.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.}
Swatow, 25th February.
NEW FIELD FOR CHINESE AGRICULTURISTS.
The Capital last week was shocked by being the scene of a murder and suicide on the part of two Tientsin foreign visitors. Lieut. Lym- berg of the Danish Navy and lately in Chinese service in a paroxysm of marital jealousy shot his wife dead, and then blew his own brains out. Cri- Foochow will supply men to cultivate the ticism or explanation is precluded by the fact antilled but fertile land of Sarawak in future. A that it reflects on the dead; but for the sake of certain Chinamon of high standing, who is the a living survivor who was included in the father-in-law of Dr. Lim Boon King of Singa- tragedy it must be stated that the most intimate pore, has undertaken to send men from Foochow friends of the deceased gentleman have made to 'Sarawak, He passed through here the other representations to the British military authori-day, and hearing of this, I availed myself of the ties exulpating the young subaltern of Bom- bay Cavalry from that condemnation which the censorious are ever ready to extend to a third party in matrimonial disagreements. The said subaltern was at the same time shot in two places by the maddened husband; it was feared at first that the horror would be threefold, but to the general satisfaction the youngster has made a rapid recovery and is now back in Tien- tsin.
PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT AT TIENTSIN.
opportunity to interview him. He was kind enough to impart to me all necessary information. In answer to my various enquiries he told me that he and another had entered into an agree ment with the Sarawak Government to supply the latter with 2,000 men in the course of two years. These men, being all farmers, are to cultivate principally rice, and as circumstances permit other necessaries also.
It is the first time that Foochow men have departed in a body with their families from their native province and emigrated to a strange place, and in view of this I questioned my in- formant whether the Foochow men will find it
THE NEW YEAR.
Chinese New Year came and went with un-`
usual quietness. The Chinese don't celebrate
a fearful cut.
FOOCHOW.
The Foochow Daily Echo of the 16th inst. contains the following items:-
All restrictions with regard to the return of the Missionaries to their various stations aro now removed, and with the full consent of the Consuls and of the Chinese High Officials they will proceed up-country soon after Chinese New Year. An excellent proclamation has just good work done by Missionaries and urging the been issued by the Viceroy pointing out the Officials and people to treat them with due
respect.
The news of the death of Dr. Underwood of
Pagoda Auchorage came as a great shock to
the residents at Foochow, as he had been amongst us only a day or two previously, when he was apparently in his usual good health. The sad event took place at his residence at fit of apoplexy. Dr. Underwood was only 50 years of age. He had been at Pagoda in the practice of his profession upwards of twenty years and was much liked and greatly respected by all who knew him, both at Foochow and Pagoda.
Mamoi on the 10th inst. from the effects of a
It is a long time since Foochow residents have had such a musical treat as was arranged for them on Monday last under the auspices of the F. A. M. & D. S. A visit from Mr. Aleo Marsh of Hongkong was the occasion of get- ting up a concert. It was held in the large reading-room of the Club as being more suit-: able for music than the theatre. The pro- gramme would have been more varied but for the prevailing epidemio invaliding one or two other of our amateurs who would have been willing to assist, had they been able. This mis- fortune, however, led to our having more of Mr. Marsh's singing, of which the au- dience never seemed to have had enough as it was, since each of the six songs sung by him was encored. Certain it is that Mr. Marsh's rich, musical, onltivated voice and his rendering of the songs he sung on Monday evening gave unqualified pleasure to a large roomfull of listeners. Miss Lay's performances both on the piano and mandolin were pleasing in the extreme and Mr. Balloch's rendering of the song "Blow, Blow, thou Winter Wind was thrilling and most successful, calling forth loud applause and an encore.
The postponed Gymkhana took place on Thursday afternoon and was regarded as timely relief to the dreary gloom that has been hanging over the port for nearly a month.
A enrious discovery is reported from the French Mixed Court at Shanghai. On three
The Provisional Government of Tientsin City is being extended, but the military are, after the manner of their caste, excluding all civiliaus from the new offices, though experience has easy to settle in Sarawak. He told me that Chinese arrested by French detectives on the
orass
consistently shown that most awful mistakes have been made, from the soldiers' igaorance of Chinese ideas, in the treatment of natives. The city itself is an example. Never in the very worst days of native administration has as the employees) been so rascality in many phases (those of sqeezing rampant; it is a byeword among the natives, and arises in ignorance more than in anything else. On the other hand many excellent new
this difficulty is easily overcome and he hoped that this new departure will prove successful. Up till now 600 men have already left Foo- chow for Sarawak and at future periods more are to follow.
A NEW FIRM TO PROMOTE EMIGRATION.
A new German firm has established itself here with the intention of shipping coolies to German New Guinea. The firm has now been in existence for a considerable time, but no
EX
to
Poyang were found papers which showed them to be members of a society whose object was offer big shipping companies protection against the daily robberies which occur on boats on the Yangtsze. A sum of 200 tiels per boat was the fee asked. The society has at its
• hond am European, whose name L'Echo de Chine statos to be known to it. A further enquiry is to be made into the ways of this enterprising society.